Free Me From These Shackles
by Autobotschic
Summary: Shadow Stalker's world falls apart before her very optics, and she is forced to relive moments she never imagined she would have to go through again. She watches as old friends are slaughtered before her very optics, the closest thing to her spark is killed, and an old foe finds her again, and doesn't intend to let her slip away like before. Heavy OC, Rated T to be safe
1. Chapter 1

Transformers belongs to Hasbro, not me. This idea popped into my head while watching the last episode of Season 2, and listening to Face Down by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Enjoy!

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One by one the members of our unit ticked down. First was Raf and Bumblebee, then Miko and Bulkhead, followed by Arcee and Jack. Smokescreen moved towards the ground bridge, turning on his heels and giving us all a salute, before transforming and speeding off. Then it was just the three of us.

"What about you two?" Ratchet asked, looking up at us as the ceiling shook.

"We-"

"_I _will stay here an make sure the Decepticons cannot follow you," he butted in, looking down at Ratchet with calm optics. I clenched my servos, hearing an odd humming noise above us.

Ratchet sighed, and walked towards the ground bridge. He stopped at the entrance, and shook his head. "I, I never thought it would end this way," was the last thing we heard as he transformed and drove through.

"Neither did I, old friend," the tall red and blue mech murmured, turning to me, "Your turn."

"What? NO! I'm staying with you!" I protested, stomping my foot. That's when he moved behind me, and grasped my shoulders.

I squirmed as the firm servos shoved me towards the open ground bridge. "No! Let me stay and fight with you!" I growled, struggling harder.

"No, hide until I relay further orders like the rest of Team Prime," he told me calmly.

"Optimus! Please! I can't abandon my sparkmate!" I growled, digging my pedes into the ground.

"Shadow Stalker, _please_," Optimus pleaded, glancing over his shoulder as some rubble fell from the roof.

I dug my pedes in, twisting around on the heels of my pedes as I quickly kissed his cheek. "Fine, but you come back. You hear? You come back!" I scolded him, before dashing towards the groundbridge. I stood at the entrance, casting a worried glance back at him, before disappearing through.

To my surprise, I was transported only a few miles away on top of the cliff face. I crouched down, watching the Nemesis hover over our base. My optics widened as I realized just what was happening. "No. Oh frag no!"

_**Optimus! Get out of there!**_ I comm. linked him, shooting up to my pedes as I frantically scrambled towards the cliff face.

_**Shadow, I love you.**_I heard his reply, a tone of lost hope and desperation. I dug my digits into the rocky outcrop, paralyzed from the fear. I barely heard the next words he told me.

_**I'll need you to protect our cause and take over when I'm gone. **_

_**Optimus...No... You p-promised..  
**_

_**I'm truly sorry, sweetspark. Goodbye, my Shadow.**  
_

My optics widened as the beam fired, instantly destroying our base. My cry was drowned out by the roar that shook the Earth. "OPTIMUS!"

_No. Pit no. This isn't happening. I'm going insane. Yeah, that's it. _I tried to comfort myself, but completely lost it when something snapped inside of me. The sparkbond had snapped off.

"NO! FRAG IT! I WON'T BELIEVE IT!" I screamed, clawing at my chest plates, scratching the paint a bit. "OPTIMUS!"

I shakily shot down as I spied Megatron and Starscream fly towards the ruble pile of out base. I narrowed my optics, cursing in every language I knew at those two tyrants. Well, a tyrant and psychotic backstabbing murderous traitor.

I snarled, digging my digits into the rock. _Don't be an idiot and attack... He wouldn't want you to do that..._ I thought to myself, rocking back and forth from the crouching position on my pedes.

_On the other hand, _he_ deserves it..._

**_(Shadow Stalker's Flashback)_**

**_I fell to the ground, slamming into the wall of my cell at the Kaon Pits. I curled into a ball, holding the newest gash that had formed on my stomach. "N-No.. P-Please.." I whimpered, feeling Energon drips snake down my forehelm._**

**_"Then obey me!" the large silver mech snarled, brandishing his plasma blade at me again. I coward back, my optics wide with fear as I eyed the blade. It had already sliced a gash in my abdomen, helm, arm, and a small cut on my pede. I did not want it near my again, for the next time he swiped, it could be the end of me.  
_**

**_He raised a fist at me, baring his blade-like teeth. "Well?!" Those blue optics did not fool me, his fists and blade was stained with my Energon, and those azure optics hid his icy spark well.  
_**

**_"I-I will try my best to obey you," I whimpered, pressing myself into the wall. He smirked, placing the blade back into his subspace.  
_**

**_"Good femme," he cooed, striding over to me with a twisted smirk. I watched him fearfully, but dared not obey him. If only I was fast enough to grab my Energon sword, I'd end his pitiful life.  
_**

**_"Now, will you obey me?" he growled, squatting down to look me in the optic.  
_**

**_I knew what he wanted. He wanted to be my bonded one day, but I will never allow it. And the more he abuses me, the more rebellious I become...  
_**

**_"I shall obey you, Megatronous."  
_**

**_(End Flashback)  
_**

Then before I registered what I was doing, I transformed into my SR-71 "Blackbird" mode, and was shooting towards the wreckage of the base.


	2. Chapter 2

Transformers belongs to Hasbro, not me. This idea popped into my head while watching the last episode of Season 2, and listening to Face Down by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Enjoy!

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I landed behind the two Decepticons, keeping true to my nature as I quietly stalked about in the shadows of the wreckage.

"United we stand, divided they fall," I heard Starscream cackle, and resisted the urge to spring from my place and strangle the living frag out of him. I peeked up from over a mangled support beam, my optics narrowed and dimmed to avoid detection. I flicked my audio antennae back in a angered manner, and lifted the corner of my lip components to reveal one of my pointed denta in the form of a small snarl.

Megatron rolled his shoulder, looking around with a prideful smirk, before he abruptly turned around to face my direction. I ducked back down with a growl, pressing myself up against a concrete slab to try and avoid detection. I heard heavy pede falls nearing my location, and cussed silently. I tilted my helm up slightly to see Megatron's bulky frame leaning over the mangled support beam as he looked around. I stopped moving, and dimmed my optics further as I watched him calmly. If he found me, I'd have the upper hand for surprise and a quick get away.

_No, you'd stay and fight or die trying. You could never live with the knowledge that you were a coward and ran. _I reminded myself, watching the tyrant warily. The light from his blood red optics illuminated everything to hold an eerie light as it drifted over the wreckage of our base. As the light moved closer to me, I vaguely saw the shape of something very familiar. My optics widened, and a new thought came to me. Optimus was in the base when it collapsed, which means he's still somewhere under this wreckage.

Suddenly the light from the optics found my pede, and I knew I was screwed unless I had a brilliant idea. Then my brilliant idea hit me as the light drifted further up my leg. I quietly rested my helm against the concrete slab, and shut off my optics. _Playing dead is being a coward like running. _The little voice inside my head taunted me.

_Optimus is still in here, and I need to find him. For once, cowardice will suffice. _I shot back at it, hoping Megatron was falling for my trick. I heard something moving, and pedes steps nearing my location. I resisted the urge to bolt up and deck the Con approaching me in the jaw. Finally I heard the heaviest one - Megatron - stop at my side as the lighter of the two pede steps plodded after the first. Megatron must have crouched down, for I could feel his body heat inches from mine.

"Megatron, what are you doing?" Starscream asked in his usual cocky tone. No response from Mr. Tyrant was received.

I nearly offlined in shock as I felt Megatron's digits drift down the side of my helm and down my jawline, almost in a caressing manner.

"M-Megatron?" I heard Starscream squeak in shock at the motion.

"She would have made a fine Decepticon. It's a shame she made the wrong choice when joining sides. Joining Optimus Prime and becoming his sparkmate was her biggest mistake when she could have been a fine Decepticon," Megatron murmured, and I picked up the faint sounds of him standing up.

_Don't you dare move, don't move, don't tremble. _I thought fiercely to myself.

"How long has she been offline?" Starscream asked shakily.

"Not very long. She's still quite warm," Megatron snapped back, taking a step back.

"Lord Megatron, I d-don't see any fatal wounds on her. None of her armor is even dented..." Starscream whimpered.

That's when I thought my cover was blown. I was just about to attack when Megatron must have hit Starscream as I heard him fly a few feet and land with a thump.

"Fool! Shadow Stalker must have perished because Optimus Prime has. When one of a mated pair that have sparkbonded dies, the other one soon follows because the bond snaps and the agony is to much for the living member's spark to bare, so it shuts itself down. See the claw marks on her chest? She obviously knew she was dying!" Megatron snarled.

"M-My apologies, master! I did not know!" the Seeker whimpered. I heard a snarl and another clang, before the sound of two jet engines screaming and shooting away.

I slowly onlined my optics, cautiously looking around for any danger. When I was certain everything was clear, I shakily stood, still in a daze from the manner Megatron had spoken about me. I turned my helm towards the familiar object I had seen when Megatron's optic light was drifting around. I scrambled towards it, giving a slight whimper as I prodded through the sparkbond again, receiving nothing but static and a agonizing emptiness. I reached the object, and nearly screamed as I stumbled back, pressing a servo against my mouth.

"No.. No no no no no no no no no..." I whimpered, my optics wide, ''Optimus..." I moved forward, lightly touching the curled servo. All I could see was his arm, the rest must have been buried. I recoiled back, the servo was ice cold to the touch. I vainly began digging around the arm, only to slice open numerous gashes on my servos.

I shivered as the rain began to fall, basically summoning up the mood of the day. I curled up next to the arm, tears falling from my optics as I offlined them, and wrapped an arm around Optimus's. I fell into a deep and fitful recharge with one thought on my processor the entire time.

_Optimus is offline. The Autobots are scattered across the United States. We're coming extinct.. We are truly living within our darkest days of the Cybertronian Apocalypse. And something I never though would happen again did.. I'm truly alone again._


	3. Chapter 3

I just had the wildest idea. I think I just might have to write it and post it on here for ya guys. What would you all think of a Prowl X Shadow Stalker ficlet?

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The rained ran in a torrent off my armor, and I shivered violently. It had been at least two days since that fateful incident had occurred, and I hadn't moved from my position curled around his arm. It begun to storm, and the thunder rattled the Earth and lighting flashed within the sea of churning clouds. I shivered again as the rain water slipped into a seam in my armor, and slowly onlined my optics to peer through the drizzle. I shuttered my optics briefly as the rain appeared to randomly stop right above me, but continued on all around me. I slowly turned my head up to look straight up at the sky, and had a small spark attack.

"P-P.." I stammered, pressing myself against the rubble as I tried to scramble away, only to pin myself against Optimus's arm. The red optics narrowed at me as it's jaw slowly opened, and a horrifying roar spilled forth from it's maw as it's wings snapped out.

"P-Predaking," I stammered, pressing myself back as I locked optics with the dragon. Predaking bared his fangs at me as he took a step forward, and I slipped around Optimus's arm ever so slowly as he took another step forward, a low growl rising from his throat. Once I was clear of my sparkmate's arm, I pushed all of the fear coursing through my frame away, and pulled out my sword.

Predaking eyed it with a sneer, his head snaking forward as he studied me with malicious optics. "You have lost everything, Autobot, what do you have left to fight for?" he taunted me, arching his head up to get a better view of me.

Out of habit, I raised my sword and pointed it at his chest. I narrowed my optics, pulling up the corner of my lip in a snarl. "Everything."

Predaking tilted in head in a quick sign of confusion, and I launched forward with a snarl, jabbing at his chest. He snarled, rearing back as he knocked me away. I hit the ground, my sword going flying in the process as I slammed up against a cement slab, letting out a small yelp of pain. The dragon launched at me, and I sluggishly ducked out of the way as he embedded his claws in the cement.

I dove for my sword, grabbing it and flipping back as Predaking attempted to hit me with his tail. I drove the sword into his tail, and clutched the hilt for dear life as he swung his tail around wildly to get me off. I yanked the sword out and leaped onto his back right as he snapped his head around, snarling as he tried to close his jaw over me. I blocked it with the sword, jabbing at his muzzle as he hissed at me, and reared onto his back legs. I quickly placed my sword back, then slipped, falling to the ground as I smashed my helm against a metal beam. I yelped, swearing as Predaking pinned me down, sneering at my fate. That was the last thing I saw as everything faded to black.

* * *

I slowly onlined my optics, wincing at the pain that flooded the back of my helm. I went to go rub it, only to find I couldn't move my servos. I snapped my optics fully online, thrashing about wildly as I noticed my servos, waist, and pedes were bound onto the table I was currently laying on. I jerked my helm back, feeling something rubbing against my neck cables. I stopped struggling as I had the odd sensation of someone watching me, and I slowly rotated my helm until I noticed Soundwave and Shockwave standing in a dark corner, observing me.

My optics narrowed into slits as I watched them watch me, and I growled darkly at them. Shockwave moved forward to stand by the side of the berth, looking down at me with that one optics. I scowled up him, curling my servos into fists.

"Hello, Shocky," I greeted icily. The mech just kept his optic locked on me, before turning to look at Soundwave.

Soundwave didn't move, but his facescreen lit up and played back a transmission. "Study the captive. Once she is awake, bring her to me."

Shockwave turned back down to me, and reached for the clasp around my waist. I snarled at him, bucking in an attempt for him to move his hand away. No such luck occurred, and he unbuckled the clasp. I narrowed my optics further as he unclipped my pedes, and quickly placed a cuff on both of them. When he went for my servos, I knew I might have a chance of escape, or at least wreaking havoc on the place.

Then Starscream walked in, his wings twitching as he watched Shockwave. He quietly moved to the side of Shockwave, and placed his hands on my forearm. I jerked my arm back with a growl, but Starscream just sneered at me as Shockwave unclipped my other servo and added a new chain to it. The purple mech then walked over to my arm that Starscream was holding, and unclipped and chained that one as well. Shockwave then stepped back, holding the chains that connected to the ones on my servos. Starscream followed suit, holding a third chain. I sat up, noticing the thing around my neck cables wasn't connected to the table. I followed the chain in Starscream's hands, and realized with dread that the chain connected to my neck.

_It's a collar. Just like with what Ironblazer did in my time in the Pits._ I thought to myself with a scowl, jerking my servos to see how strong Shockwave's grasp was. The mech didn't even budge, and I growled.

"Shadow Stalker, Lord Megatron wishes to see you in his castle," Starscream chided, yanking back on my collar as I gagged and was yanked to the floor. I struggled to get up, and Shockwave pulled my servos towards him as I stumbled forward.

The two mechs dragged me toward Megatron's throne room, while I retaliated the entire way, digging my pedes into the ground and fighting back. I leaped in the air as something wrapped around my waist, and I jerked my helm down to see one of Soundwave's tentacles wrapped firmly around it as he dragged me along.

We entered the throne room as I snarled at the three mechs, fighting viciously against the chains and the tentacle. I slowly stopped as I noticed all the Vechicons and Eradicons looking at me, then Megatron himself as he stood from his throne, baring his shark-like denta in a twisted and sickening smile.

He purred darkly, striding towards me as I watched with wide optics, recoiling back. He stopped right in front of me, locking his blood red optics with my ice blue ones as he smirked dangerously.

"Well, my Queen, welcome to the winning side."


	4. Chapter 4

Fragging plot bunnies. They've invaded my mind.

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I narrowed my optics, baring my denta at him as he towered over me. Megatron snickered, his blood red optics shining darkly.

"So, you were just playing dead when we last met, hmm?" He purred, leaning down. I snarled, spitting into his faceplates as I thrashed wildly like a caged animal. Megatron reeled back, his optics narrowed to dangerous slits as his lip tugged up in a half snarl. I mimicked the motioned, fully baring my pointed denta at him and snarling ferally.

His shoulder rolled, and next thing I knew the side of my face stung horribly. I reeled my helm back, temporarily startled and confused. Then it dawned on me, and I startled everyone by laughing. It wasn't my normal laugh at something humorous like when the time Optimus had fallen into a mud puddle, but a crazed, high pitched cackle. The great and mighty Megatron had _glitch_ _slapped_ me!

Megatron seemed confused for a moment, as did Starscream, who's wings were in the neutral position. I continued the laughing for a minute, before abruptly stopping.

"You're pathetic," I stated with a growl, my optics flashing. A horrifying sound escaped Megatron's vocal chords, a cross between a shriek and a roar, and he launched forward and grabbed my neck. I let out a strangled snarl, snapping at his wrist. He forced my chin up to look up at his optics, and mine narrowed further.

"You will learn your place!" he growled, yanking my chains form Shockwave's hands and throwing my into the wall. I heard a crack as one of my audio antennae broke off, and my back screeching against the wall as I sunk down. I feverishly clawed at my missing antennae, going deaf on the side. I whipped my head around, my working antennae working double time to pick up all the sounds. My gyros were knocked askew for a few second, and I fell to my side, clawing at the floor and trying to steady myself.

I found myself hovering again as Megatron grabbed me and hoisted me up. I clawed frantically at his hand, before hearing a faint crunching noise from my good antennae as I was sent flying and into another wall. This time I found I couldn't move, and my optics widened as I watched him slowly advance on me.

_Frag! I must have hit the wall in such a way one of my spinal struts cracked! _I hissed to myself, trying to shrink away from the large mech. He grabbed me again, and I flopped forward, shrieking as pain flared in my censors. I felt the fingers pinch my remaining audio antennae, and my optics widened in horror. Suddenly, I could hear nothing. I watched as the mech flicked it away, then turned back to me with a smirk. I couldn't move, couldn't fight back, couldn't hear. I offlined my optics, and let the darkness engulf me. It was soothing in a way, like this whole fiasco was just a dream. A scary nightmare. I'd wake up any second now, and Optimus would be there. He'd have me pulled against him, and an arm protectively draped over me.

But this wasn't a dream.. It wasn't a nightmare.. It was reality. Perhaps.. everything I thought was real.. Was really a dream?

* * *

Yes, I'm torturing you all with a short chapter because I have writers block. Grah.


	5. Chapter 5

Plot bunnies and writers block do not mix. And it sucks. Horribly. ANother short chapter, my apologies. The next one will be longer, though! And have a lot of gore as a forewarning.

* * *

I onlined groggily, shuttering my optics as the extremely dimly light cell caught me by surprise. Heh. Went form Med Bay to the brig. How completely normal. I lightly tugged at the chains, venting. My optics flashed brightly as I felt something swelling in my systems. _Oh, slag.. _I bent over best I could as I hevaed violently, before purging my tanks free of Energon. It splashed onto the floor, ocvering my knees as it dribbled down my chin. I groaned, hacking.

The taste of unprocessed Energon was never a favorite of mine. Then again, who liked the taste?

The cells to my bars flickered then offlined as a grey, winged figure appeared in front of me, and I squinted more so to try and see him better.

"Sheahdo 'koraqui," a voice floated to me as he kneeled down to get optic level with me.

I instantly recognized my name in Kaonic, and shuttered my optics again, responding quietly as the Seeker's blurry outline sharpened itself. "Yenz'rer'xo."

The Seeker flicked his wings, and I swore I saw a small smile grace his features for a second as I said his name.

"So, you are one of the few who have yet to forget Kaonic," Starscream purred.

"Hardly," I coughed, tugging my arms against the Energon shackles cuffing me to the ceiling. I quickly took in my surrounding. The shackles held my arms up, and I was kneeling on the floor in a cell in the Decepticon's brig.

The sound of a door screeching in the hall alerted me to a new visitor. Or visitors, as I heard two different set of pede falls.

"Soundwave, Shockwave," Starscream purred from my right. I eyed the two up as they entered my cell.

"Tenj 'lo, Mnil 'fo," I greeted icily to the two.

Shockwave turned away from Starscream to face me. "She speaks Kaonic?"

"She hailed from Kaon, Shockwave," Starscream returned with a slight scoff.

"I didn't know. Nor did I ever speak fluent Kaonic. What did she say?"

Soundave's face mask lit up, playing back part of my sentence. "Tenj 'lo."

"Soundwave?" Shockwave asked.

The Decepticon spy gave a sharp nod. Starscream huffed, his wings flicking. "Is there something you two need?"

"We was told to run some scans on Shadow's processor and hack any information Soundwave could from it," Shockwave responded.

Starscream looked to Soundwave for conformation, and when the spy nodded, the Seeker inclined his head slightly. "Carry on."

Soundwave stepped forward, standing straight in front of me and blocking my view of the other two. I eyed him up defiantly, and spoke only three words with a broad smirk.

"Vensho vea kaj'ik."

_Do your worst._


	6. Chapter 6

... *cough cough* _**TORTURE WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER! With hints of other things.. **_You've been warned.

* * *

I watched with narrowed optics as Soundwave stalked forward, his tentacles deploying as they slithered towards me. One wrapped around my right leg, spiraling up to toy with the armor on the inner part. I wanted to jolt away and snarl at him, but I held myself steady with unwavering optics. Soundwave's free tentacle slithered up my side, poking into the gaps between my armor as it moved up to my neck. Once there, it tightened around it like a boa constrictor.

I wheezed slightly, my intakes hitching for a moment before continuing on a ragged pattern. Soundwave's visor brightened slightly, and he stood directly in front of me. I glared up at him, defiant. I could have sworn he was smirking behind that fragging visor. He bent down, roughly grabbing my jaw with those creepily long digits of his. He dug them into me, before dragging them down to my chin. My armor screeched and sparked in protest as I internally winced.

Soundwave took a step back, his tentacle playing with my armor sliding up to wrap around my waist tightly. I hadn't even had time for a reaction as a blur shot past my optics, four deep gashes suddenly appearing on my chest plates. My optics snapped wide open as Energon trickled from them, and I tilted my helm down to stare at them blankly.

My antennae flicked back in rage, and this time the snarl did escape my throat as I harshly yanked at the chains, shooting forward as I snapped my denta inches in front of his visor.

Not a single fragging reaction. And it had me ticked.

I yanked against harshly, fighting vigorously until suddenly spied the blur again. I swiftly ducked my helm down, but the blow was not dodged. I cried out this time, Energon spurting from my face. I looked up, my optics narrowed. In Soundwave's visor I could see my face, and the wounds it now held. Four long wounds starting a few inches above my optic and going all the way down to my bottom lip, slicing through the top.

I spat some Energon from my lip onto the floor, coughing violently. My sides heaved as the Energon seeped from my faceplates and dripped into my mouth, causing me to choke. I let out a strangled cry as Shockwave decided to join in with dragging something sharp down my back. I arched myself forward, the Energon from the wounds caking over my right optic and reducing my visibility.

Shockwave grasped my helm between his hands, pushing it forward as my shoulder strained uncomfortably against my bonds. A hand clamped over my mouth as I let out a strangled cry as Shockwave brought his knee forcefully down on my back, a horrifying crack echoing throughout the dark chamber.

I shuttered my optics, willing the tears that were close to spilling back. I jolted to the side as Shockwave rammed something into me, my armor screaming and denting in. I stifled another yelp, baring my denta in agony as they began to rip and shred me apart. Shockwave stomped forcefully on my legs, another crunch echoing as I screamed, writhing in pain.

Shockwave cackled, slamming his fist into the joint between my shoulder and my arm. I let out a soft whine as the joint disconnected, and Shockwave landed a harsh kick to my side again. I felt Soundwave's tentacles release me, lightly sliding up me as they both settled onto my helm. They connected, and a blinding wave of agony settled over me.

I screamed out, my antennae flicking back and my optics flickering before snapping offline. All of my strength was gone, and all I could do was whimper or yelp. The agony seared through my processor as Soundwave dug through my memories and hacked past all of the boundaries I had set up. I thrashed about wildly as something severed my left leg from my body, Energon gushing from the wound and puddling up around me.

The visored mech prowled deeper into my processor, downloading and stealing everything. My thoughts, memories, dreams-they were no longer private. They had hacked into my darkest thought, nothing could be kept a secret to them.

Soundwave drifted through my mind, waltzing through my times as a Gladiator, downloading images I had seen of our now destroyed base, watching old memory clips of Optimus I had stored away.

The tears that had threatened to fall now came, earning a snigger that sounded unusually far off. I drifted into a world I didn't know, and for once, the static on the other end of my sparkbond, was dare I say... soothing.

They had taken everything away from me, so there was no point in staying here anymore, right?

I had made up my mind. These slaggers weren't going to use me. I'd end my suffering and die peacefully, knowing Optimus was waiting for me in the Well of Sparks.

Now to just gather the courage to carry it out.


End file.
